Question

Uday Foundation announced free distribution of blankets for the underprivileged. The image given below shows an unexpectedly large number of people who turned up on the site of blanket distribution, causing chaos and discomfort.

1. Interpret any three salient features of such a gathering.   (3)
2. Explain any four psychological effects of such large gatherings that happen suddenly.   (4)

Answer 1

1. Crowding has the following features:
   1. Feeling of discomfort/suffocation
   2. Loss or decrease in privacy
   3. Negative view of the space around the person
   4. Feeling of loss of control over social interaction.
2. Psychological effects of large gatherings that happen suddenly:
   1. Leads to abnormal behaviour and aggression.
   2. Leads to lowered performance on difficult tasks that involve cognitive processes.
   3. Adversely affects memory and the emotional state.
   4. Constant exposure to crowded places shows lower academic performance.
   5. Crowds impact the personal space of individuals, leading to selfish behaviour and self-centred behaviour patterns.